Not-So-Charming Nightmares
by emeraldgirl503
Summary: Another one-shot of Snow and Charming. Similar to my story, "Soothing Snow's Nightmare," Charming experiences some post-sleeping curse nightmares, and this time it's Snow's turn to help him get through it.


Charming lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling in his wife's – well, actually, maybe it was his now, too; the whole housing situation was a little unclear at the moment – apartment. Snow was tucked closely into his side, her head resting on his chest, one arm tucked against his side and the other wrapped tightly around his torso, as if she was worried he might disappear in sleep and she would lose him again. It might not be the most comfortable sleeping position, but he didn't want to let her go either. He had spent far too long away from his wife to ask her to move now.

It was pretty late, and though he couldn't see her face, he guessed that Snow was asleep, based on the slow, rhythmic breaths he felt against his neck. He moved his hand from the small of her back and slipped it into her hair, much shorter now, but still just as soft and tempting. Although David and Mary Margaret had spent some time together before the curse broke, Charming was still processing the physical changes to Snow. Since the curse had broken and they had learned their true identities, they had barely had any time to adjust before they had been torn apart again by the portal.

With Emma and Henry also living in the apartment, sharing her room upstairs, Snow and Charming's opportunities to get reacquainted had been limited. There had been a few chances when Emma had taken Henry out for the afternoon, but for the most part, their little family unit was staying pretty close. Not that Charming was complaining. He had missed out on 28 years of his daughter's life, and 10 years of his grandson's, and he was more than willing to sacrifice a little privacy in the name of family togetherness.

Family. What a magical word. Charming had always wanted a family of his own, and when he and Snow had learned they were pregnant, he had been thrilled. Although he had originally hoped for a son, Charming had felt a deep and enduring love for his daughter from the moment Snow told Rumpelstiltskin her name, and he couldn't imagine his family without Emma. Knowing he would have to give her up for the first 28 years of her life had been an unbearable pain during Snow's pregnancy, but he had tried to stay strong for Snow's sake. When Emma was born earlier than expected, things had happened so quickly that Charming hadn't really processed all the emotions he was feeling, but he could still remember the overwhelming ache he had felt as he took his infant daughter to the wardrobe, an ache that had been even more painful than the physical wounds he had endured getting his daughter to safety.

"I can hear you thinking," Snow said softly.

He tilted his head to look down at her, and she lifted her head to kiss him gently on the lips. "I still haven't gotten used to that," she explained with a smile, so he kissed her again, a little more deeply.

"We really need to work out this privacy situation," Snow muttered in frustration as she pulled away.

"Maybe Emma can take Henry out somewhere tomorrow afternoon," Charming suggested.

Snow raised her eyebrows at him. "Do you want to be the one to ask our newly re-acquainted daughter if she can take our grandson out so we can have some alone time?"

"I think your relationship with her is stronger," Charming teased.

Snow rolled her eyes. "She already knows too much. I am not about to start telling her about my sex life with her father. Our situation has enough complications without opening that door right now."

Charming laughed. "Fair enough."

Snow kissed him again quickly, then rested her chin on her hand against his shoulder. "So what were you thinking about?" she asked.

"Our family, particularly Emma. I was just remembering the night she was born, how devastated I was that we had to give her up and how terrified I was that she wouldn't make it through safely."

"But she did. Thanks to you," Snow said, her eyes clouded with memories. "Though I was terrified I would never see you again, since I thought you were dead."

Charming tipped his head and touched his forehead to hers. "We always find each other."

She gave him a soft smile and closed her eyes. "I love you."

"I love you," he replied simply.

Snow kept her forehead against his and her eyes closed. At first he thought she was just absorbing the moment, but when her breathing started to slow, he began to suspect she was fighting off sleep. "Go back to sleep, my darling," he coaxed, gently easing her head back down onto his shoulder.

"You should sleep, too," she mumbled.

"I will, eventually," he said, kissing her forehead.

"Don't think I don't know that you're trying to stay up as long as possible to avoid the nightmares," she replied, her voice a little stronger.

Charming didn't reply, but instead kept running his fingers through her hair as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Charming, you have to sleep," Snow said more forcefully, picking her head back up to look at him.

"I know."

Snow kept eye contact with him, then whispered, "I know they're horrible, but you're safe. I'm here. I won't go anywhere."

He tightened his arms around her. "I know. They're just very… unpleasant."

She continued holding eye contact, as if deciding what to say. Suddenly, she slipped out of bed and padded into the kitchen. She came back holding a candle and a book of matches. She placed the candle on the end table next to Charming, then lit it using one of the matches. "Someone once told me that a candle will keep the nightmares away," she said as she extinguished the match.

Charming smiled. "He sounds like a pretty smart guy," he teased.

"He is. Most of the time," she said with a smile, sliding back into bed and giving him a kiss. She snuggled back up to his side and wrapped her arms around him again. "Now go to sleep. I'll be right here until you wake up in the morning."

"I'm counting on that," he replied, giving her a quick squeeze. He then resumed stroking her back with his left hand, and Snow fell back asleep almost immediately.

For a little while longer, Charming lay in the dark, looking up at the ceiling, enjoying the feeling of his wife pressed up against him. Finally, with one last look over at her face, relaxed and peaceful in sleep, he closed his eyes and let the sound of her breathing soothe him into a dreamless sleep.


End file.
